Southeastern Reptile Rescue - Rubber Rattlesnake

Rubber Rattlesnake

Woman claims company planted fake snake in attic.

Attack of the Rubber Rattlesnake!

At Southeastern Reptile Rescue we are constantly receiving snake calls. Each one stranger than the next. In March of 2007, we received a call from a lady (Sharon Jordan) in Mcdonough, GA in reference to a snake in her attic. Upon speaking with Ms. Jordan I was advised that she had a snake in her attic and she wanted to know if we could assist her in removing it. Jason Clark then asked Ms. Jordan how she knew a snake was in her attic and she said that a pest removal company had inspected her attic for squirrels and saw the snake but was unable to capture it at the moment. Ms. Jordan told Jason that the snake in the attic was a rattlesnake. Upon hearing this, Jason knew something was way off and asked why she thought it was a rattlesnake. Ms. Jordan told Jason that the company had taken a picture of the "rattlesnake" with a digital camera and showed her the image. Jason then informed Ms. Jordan that the only way she had a rattlesnake in her attic was if someone had placed it there. Ms. Jordan then scheduled us to meet at her home and inspect her attic and try to find a rattlesnake, real or rubber. Jason along with Ms. Jordan and her family inspected the attic and found the location where the photograph of the rubber rattlesnake was taken. There was no snake to be found. After seeing the photographs of the rattlesnake, Jason emphatically assured Ms. Jordan that the snake in the picture was in fact a fake. A few days later we were contacted by Adam Murphy an investigative reporter with CBS 46 News in Atlanta. Jason Clark spoke with Mr. Murphy who wanted to know all about the rubber rattlesnake. Arraingements were then made for Jason to bring a real rattlesnake to Ms. Jordan's home and meet the news crew in order to get shots of the real thing. Below are some photos of the event as well as photos of the rubber rattlesnake.

March 9, 2007 04:31 PM EST
Woman Says Company Planted Fake Snake, Gave Bill to Remove It

MCDONOUGH, GA. (CBS 46)--A McDonough woman says a wildlife removal company.. tried to charge her more than five-thousand dollars..to eliminate a "pest problem".

Sharon Jordan claims that a company planted a fake snake inside her attic.

Jordan hired Wildlife Removal Specialists to get rid of squirrels in her attic, but things got real squirrely when they showed her photographs they had taken of what appeared to be a rattlesnake in her attic.

That's when she called on Jason Clark for a second opinion. He owns a reptile rescue group and is licensed by the state to remove snakes.

He didn't find anything in her attic and was shocked when he saw the photographs. Clark told CBS 46, "As soon as I looked at it there was no mistake this was a rubber snake. So either the person who took the photograph knew absolutely nothing about snakes or it was planted there by the person who took the photograph."

CBS 46 Consumer Investigator Adam Murphy confronted the company to find out what really happened, after a CBS 46 undercover camera captured workers removing what appeared to be rubber snake from jordan's attic.

Wildlife Removal Specialist workers say they didn't plant the snake, but they sure did post the pictures on their website.

Murphy: "I think you still have some explaining to do on this." Worker: "No sir, I don't have any explaining because I'm not a liar. I haven't put anything in anybody's attic to insenuate there's a problem that's not there."

But they did walk out with the rubber rattle snake, which was captured in the back of their truck by a CBS 46 camera. The snake looked like the one in the photographs.

Sharon Jordan says," These are con artists. They have a scam going."

So who put the rubber snake in the attic? Jordan says she's the only one that's lived in her home and no one else could have done it.

CBS 46 contacted the Department of Natural Resources and the state herpatologist confirmed it was a rubber snake similar to this one and now the state is investigating.


Adam Murphy of CBS 46 News attempting to interview an employee of the wildlife removal company in front of Ms. Jordan's residence.


Photograph of snake removed from Ms. Jordan's attic taken by CBS 46 News.


Photograph of rubber rattlesnake in Sharon Jordan's attic.


Close up of rubber snakes rattle.


From Left: Mike Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue, Sharon Jordan Homeowner, Adam Murphy CBS 46 News and Jason Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue. Notice that Mr. Murphy is holding a rubber rattlesnake similar to the one found in Ms. Jordan's attic. Mike is holding a live (not rubber) black rat snake that is very commonly found in attics especially in Central Georgia.

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